I just got a "new" Homelite XL2 auto from dad. Ran, but turns out its gonna need some work. Looking on the interweb for good used or NOS parts. Glad to see they can be had.

Really like that little saw. Its a top handle model with two triggers. One right by the front handle for one handed operation, and another towards the rear for safer two handed work. Nice and light.

Also just bought a super clean Mcculloch Pro Mac 700 from the local shop. Doesn't look like its got many hours on it. I believe it may still have the original chain on it. Still has the Mac bar. Came with an 18" bar. Gonna go with a 28" and skip tooth chain for the larger stuff. It goes well with the Pro Mac 1010 Super that dad gave me a few years ago. Stout saw. Super loud! I love the old Macs. Plenty of power.

 

Got a CS4400 Echo for a mid size saw, 3400 poulan in Sears black and grey, Stihl 009L for small jobs(probably fixing to get replaced by the Homie), and part owner of a Stihl 661 mtronic. Son keeps that one. Its about too heavy for me to play with anymore.

Ive heard other folks say the Macs were hard to get going, but both of mine pop right off after 4-6 pulls. Idid have to richen the low side on the 700 when I got it home. Pulled that thing til I got light-headed before I got the carb screwdriver out.

Just dropped the big, mostly-dead maple along side my driveway this morning.  Used my Shindaiwa 575 with 24" bar for the drop, Stihl MS-180 with 14" 0.050 bar to lop the limbs smaller than 14"... exhaust has been opened, timing advanced a few degrees, with a sharp blade, it really goes.  I've got an Echo CS310 with 14" skinny bar, nice for trimming off the crap, but no modifications- it's rather restrictive in exhaust, but nice and quiet.

On the way:  Stihl 038AV with 28" bar, and a Stihl 026 that'll need a little cleaning up, the 38 may get a Magnum P&C and some slight machine work...

Someday, an Echo CS-2511, a Stihl 056 with 30" bar, and a Stihl MS-880 or 88 Magnum with a 48" bar...

Couple of antiques here.  Bought a Poulan counter vibe 3400 new, must have been back in the 80's.  I will not be able to wear it out.  Have heated with wood up until this year.  Going to retire it and me from that pleasure at my 76 year mark.  One thing you could always bet on is that on first start up it would take exactly 12 pulls. 

Stihl o1 something with 14 inch blade for light work.

Just thinking that that Poulan would make a good boat anchor as heavy as it is. 

 An old-timer friend told me one time that there are two things you don't loan out, your chainsaw or your wife! 

 

There's an old dead McCullough around the farm somewhere, and an even older even deader Poulan that must weigh 20 pounds.  I don't really even count those!

I've got two Homelite XL-1  here...mid '70s. Needed to find a parts unit cause the 'contractor' borrowed mine and demoed it...

I heard that one of them has a USB port ! When the engine gets outta whack..you have to take it to the repair place, plug into a computer, pay $100 and it's fixed !

This from an arborist who said I should buy an Echo NOTStihl, as Stihl have gone downhill in the past few years.

45 different ones here. Main ones are echo cs-310 and cs-8000. have 650-evl's but starters are bad so can't use them. Husky 235 is great little saw. have a bunch of the newer poulans, they work good for me.

macs include the eager beaver 2.0's, and 3.7's

Homelites  xl-2, sxl, sxlao's, 33cc, 38cc ,46cc , etc, 3514, 3816, and the favorite of all time the 8800

There are more that I missed, oh ya the barker, stihl ms-250. its ok since I rebuilt it with china-chink parts!--- thanks ac fleet

Dusty

re:... Welcome to old age.

yeah...I can't pull gas saws either

my goto chainsaw is ELECTRIC ! I use it to shorten everything less then 14" round to 10-12" long 'stubbies'. Those I can get onto the ELECTRIC splitter.

Arborist dropped off elm and mulberry today , I only burn for fun in firepit..I could heat 24/7/365 with the logs that get dropped off here.

Jay

Used to sell those for a little while. great equipment. Supplier was not the easiest to deal with.

Anybody with "dead" Mccullochs can just send em on down here. I got a nice resting place for em.

I am currently on the House of Homelite forum, as well as arboristsite.com. Lots of folks with some good experience there.

 

Heard of Lombards, just never seen one. Seen a couple of Remingtons. Not real popular down here. Used to see several Pioneers, but most of those are gone now.

 

I don't really see many old saws, since im not working on em anymore. Don't have much time to go scrounge around yard sales and old dealers back rooms either. Everythings closed by the time I get off work.

 

Definitely want some ear muffs or plugs with older saws. That little Homie is loud as heck too! Mccullochs just sound so good! Rev quick and just moan with the bar buried in some good hardwood! Sometimes I forget the earplugs, but it don't take long to get reminded.

 

Mr Murphy, sounds like you got a nice little hotrod there.

Jetsaw

On the saw, I cut a notch into a chunk of trunk, set the brake, and use the file.

When I'm done, I pull them off, and they get a visit from the grinder.  I have an Oregon.

All my saws run 0.050" gauge, 3/8" pitch chain... and at the moment, I buy chains individually, but I'll be buying a bulk roll and a chain tool to make them up as I need them.  I don't like to sharpen or change chains while working... I just grab the second, third, and fourth saw...

Oh, and I used the new-to-me 038 cutting up the big nasty maple out front... it came to me as the dirtiest chainsaw I've ever seen... darned thing was full of gas that smelled like a mixture of saurkraut and pinapple juice... dumped it out in the driveway, had to pour some fresh gas in it to make it light up   then I poured fresh mix in, let it sit for 10 minutes, then set choke and pulled it six times, it popped, opened choke, and it woke right up... gave it 20 seconds of blipping, then one long rip to make sure it was pumping oil (it was) then placed it a 19" diameter limb... it went right through... and kept going for the next hour.

Many guys talk trash about some saws, and wave flags of others.  I've used Stihls, both older and newer, Echos older and newer... Dolmar, Husky, Efco, Shindaiwa, older Homelites, Makita... and found plenty of good saws.  I've also tried a few 'clones'.

Department store/big box store saws are frequently not-so-great... inferior materials, difficult to maintain, break easily, don't run well.  To me, a 'good' saw, is one that is easy to maintain... doesn't plug up with crap, runs well, idles well, and doesn't fall apart in operation... and of course, doesn't change in design so quick that parts become unobtainium in one year.

Lots and lots of products come out of China now... even stuff that's 'assembled in' (other places).  Big name manufacturers exhibit substantial quality control, and after that, rigid quality-assurance, on the machinery and components, and yes, there IS a difference in manufacturing quality when those parts are assembled into machines ELSEWHERE.  if you happen to buy a saw from a half-brand or overseas 'clone', as a kit, and take the time to assemble it WELL on your own, you'll wind up with a saw that's ALMOST as good as the 'real thing'.  You might get comparable performance if you 'blueprint' the clone... or substitute better aftermarket parts here-and-there.  If you open up a clone assembled overseas, don't be surprised to find metal shavings in the crankcase, casting flash on the piston and rod, a big glob of grease somewhere full of dirt, grit, or whatever.  IF that same assemblage of parts were taken to some other country, and assembled, to get a 'quality brand' name, you bet your bippy that assembly line would clean up the mess and make it better... because they want their assembly business to stay in business.

Anybody willing to define the difference between Quality Control, Quality Management, Quality Assurance, and Total Quality Production?

Quality control is when you weigh every piston coming down the assembly line, and do a statistical analysis of a large batch of parts, and then figure out where MOST of the parts fall in that group... then you throw out the ones that are NOT within the 'most' percentage.

Quality Management is when you look at the thrown out parts, and try to figure out why they're different, before you pitch 'em back into the melting pot.  Mebbie figure out if you can do something better about it.

Quality Assurance is when the parts are all done, and you go to put 'em together, you find out NONE of them fit for crap, and throw them ALL back in the pot.

Total Quality Production means you've realized that building it from the start, with the intention of making a good product, and solving all the problems WHERE they orginate, means that the Quality Assurance guy at the end of the line... doesn't have anything to do.

I just had to add.

 

 

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chas, that might be dangerous for me to help on that wood working. 

I would be afraid I may loose my concentration.